Widows on the Shore: Audio, Lyrics, Video, Back Story

If you think about it, the traditional sea shanties and songs that have survived to modern times are pretty exclusively man-centric. I got to wondering about the songs the women who stayed behind while their menfolk went to sea might have sung as they went about their work.

One of my favorite seafaring adventure novels is Rudyard Kipling's Captains Courageous. If you've read it, you may recall that in a late chapter, the fishing town of Gloucester, Massachusetts, is holding a fundraising event in support of the town's widows and orphans of that season's making. We learn that in that one town alone, the town lost over 100 men and boys to the sea every year. Multiply that by all the fishing and seafaring villages along the American and Canadian coasts. Go across the Atlantic to Scandinavia, France, England, and Ireland.

I got to thinking that the loss of so many beloved menfolk might well have been something that women of those days would have sung about. And so I tried to imagine a shanty from that point of view. The fourth verse (Jane's story) is very directly influenced by Kipling's depiction of the schooner captain's wife:

"My father—my own eldest brother—two nephews—an' my second sister's man," she said, dropping her head on her hand. "Would you care fer any one that took all those?"

Possibly there are some women's sea shanties squirreled away somewhere. But if not, well, ladies, there's one for you now.

Original Song Lyrics

You’ve heard many a song of sailor menWidows on the shoreWho sailed but never came home againWidows on the shoreBut never no songs about maids like YeWidows on the shoreFound in every town beside the seaWidows on the shore

CHORUS:Widows on the shore ye beYour menfolk never more to seeThis side of EternityYe be widows on the shore

My name is Anne of Gloucester BayWidows on the shoreI remember well my wedding dayWidows on the shoreFive years as man and wife had weWidows on the shoreThen my Edward was taken by the seaWidows on the shore

CHORUS

I am sweet Peg of Portland townWidows on the shoreMy Jonathan with his ship went downWidows on the shoreHonest and strong and brave was heWidows on the shoreIn a gale of George’s he were took from meWidows on the shore

CHORUS

Jane am I of Prince Edward IsleWidows on the shoreLittle cause have I to smileWidows on the shoreMy father, my brother, and a son I boreWidows on the shoreWho now I never shall see no moreWidows on the shore

CHORUS

When next in the tavern ye shall beWidows on the shoreSinging songs of men who sail the seaWidows on the shoreRemember the women now and thenWidows on the shoreWhose menfolk never sailed home againWidows on the shore

CHORUS

TAG:Ye be widowsOn the shore

This song is dedicated to the memory of my paternal grandmother, Ruth Paige Palomo - linguist, scholar, children's poet, world traveler, and gourmet cook. In many ways she was 50 years ahead of her time. In other ways she was left behind on the shore. She quietly taught me to enjoy cooking good food, to speak Spanish, to respect other countries and cultures, and she encouraged me to explore music and be myself.

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